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| Hesperolyra guajavifoliae Stonis & Vargas
in Stonis, Remeikis, Diškus, et al., 2019.
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Abstract
We describe a new pest of guava (Psidium guajava L.), Hesperolyra guajavifoliae Stonis & Vargas, sp. nov., that was recently discovered in western Colombia. Hesperolyra van Nieukerken is a small, Neotropical genus of pygmy moths (Nepticulidae). We re-examine and document the complex morphology of the male genitalia of the generic type species, H. diskusi (Puplesis & Robinson). We discuss the diagnostics and composition of the genus and provide a simple pictorial differentiation scheme for all currently known representatives of the genus. The new species is illustrated with photographs of the adults, some of the immature stages, male and female genitalia, and leaf mines. A link to the COI barcodes of H. guajavifoliae sp. nov. is provided and the relationship of Hesperolyra to other genera is discussed.
Keywords: New species, pygmy moths, guayaba, Psidium guajava, leaf mines, taxonomy, Colombia
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| Figures 13–27. Hesperolyra guajavifoliae Stonis & Vargas sp. nov. 13–16 cocoons 17–20 pupae (found dead in cocoons at different stages of development and with various levels of dehydration) 21 male holotype (MPUJ) 22 female paratype 23 frontal tuft, female paratype 24 ventral view, female paratype 25–27 An Egg on a leaf underside of the host plant Psidium guajava. |
Hesperolyra guajavifoliae Stonis & Vargas, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Externally, adults of the new species are distinguishable from all other Neotropical Nepticulidae, including congeneric Hesperolyra, by a dark, oblique fascia and two small, dark, basal and apical spots on the forewing. However, in some specimens, including worn ones, the spots may be inconspicuous or absent. In the male genitalia, a large apical process of the valva, two large, horn-like processes fused with the transtilla and weakly developed cornuti in the phallus distinguish H. guajavifoliae sp. nov. from all other Hesperolyra species. In the female genitalia, the unique, large vaginal sclerite and distally wide vesicles of ductus spermathecae are hypothesized to be unique to this species, but this character may not remain valid for species differentiation because females of many nepticulid species are unknown and remain to be discovered. Hesperolyra guajavifoliae sp. nov. is distinguishable from another guava feeder, Ozadelpha guajavae Puplesis & Robinson, by a dark, oblique fascia and two small spots on the forewing of the adults, and by blotch-like leaf mines (leaf mines of O. guajavae are slender and sinuous, see Remeikis et al. 2015: figs 1, 7).
Distribution: (Figs 1–6). So far, this species is known to occur at altitudes from 450 to 850 m on the western slopes of the Andes (Valle del Cauca, western Colombia), bordering with the lowland Choco province. The latter is possibly the most humid area on Earth, where annual rainfall reaches 11,770 mm (Wettest places on Earth 2019) and is equally distributed except for only slight dry season(s) (Figs 2–6).
Etymology: The species name derives from the Latin name of the host plant guajava, in combination with the Latin folium (a leaf), in reference to the feeding habit of the new species; although the ending -ae here is not correct Latin (van Nieukerken, personal comm.), we preferred to name the species as guajavifoliae and not otherwise.
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| Figures 7–12. Leaf mines of Hesperolyra guajavifoliae Stonis & Vargas sp. nov. on Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae), Colombia, Valle del Cauca, Cisneros, .., 450 m. |
Jonas R. Stonis, Andrius Remeikis, Arūnas Diškus, Svetlana Orlovskytė, Sergio A. Vargas and Maria Alma Solis. 2019. A New Leafmining Pest of Guava: Hesperolyra guajavifoliae sp. nov., with Comments on the Diagnostics of the Endemic Neotropical Genus Hesperolyra van Nieukerken (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae). ZooKeys. 900: 87-110. DOI: /10.3897/zookeys.900.46332
